Jefferson Co, CO: $14M SPED overspend

Oct 9, 2025, Golden Transcript: Special education costs becoming 'unbearable' for Jeffco

https://www.thegoldentranscript.com/news/special-education-costs-becoming-unbearable-for-jeffco/article_ff08f84c-f99d-450f-be5c-c00dafa66190.html

Private placement costs more than doubled in three years, with per-student expenses averaging 5-6 times state funding

When Brenna Copeland reviewed Jefferson County Public Schools’ special education spending trends last fall, she had what she called a "freak out moment."

The numbers showed costs running significantly higher than projections, Copeland, the district’s chief financial officer, said. By year's end, the district had spent $14 million more than budgeted on special education services, contributing to a $45 million drawdown of reserves.

With the district facing an even higher structural deficit in the coming year, its leaders face a tough question. What gets cut to keep paying for it?

"We are going to have to have this conversation around reducing our expenditures to get in line with our revenue, and we're going to do that work," Superintendent Tracy Dorland told the school board Sept. 30.

Dorland acknowledged the district remains committed to serving students with complex needs but said it’s "becoming a bit unbearable in terms of the cost and increases over time."

She said the district is exploring collaborative solutions with other Front Range superintendents and the state Department of Education for solutions to help manage the expenses.

For families like those with children at Firefly Autism, a nonprofit currently serving 13 Jefferson County students with profound disabilities, federal law ensures their placements will continue. But the district's budget crisis means other programs and positions will need to be cut to pay for them. . . .

For Jeffco schools, Copeland said the biggest driver of the special education budget overrun was placements at private facilities for students the district can't serve. These students typically have profound autism and severe behavioral needs, requiring specialized therapeutic interventions and safety measures that traditional schools can't provide.

Those placement costs more than doubled over three years, Copeland said, with the district spending $11.4 million last year on specialized programs. She told the board that the per-student cost at these facilities averages five to six times what the district receives in state funding for each student. . . .

At Firefly Autism, every student receives one-on-one care and instruction from a registered behavior technician. Sometimes it's two or three staff members for a single student.

"We take the learners that a lot of other places won't take," said Amanda Kelly, who has been with Firefly for 11 years and serves as director.

Firefly is a nonprofit overseen by the Colorado Department of Human Services. The facility currently serves 30 students ages 3 to 21 from many districts with profound autism and severe behavioral needs. Many are nonverbal, require intensive behavioral support or need specialized safety measures. .

The facility has reinforced timeout rooms monitored 24/7, a specialized sensory gym with expensive equipment that needs frequent replacement, and hallways converted into workspaces for students who can't tolerate classrooms. Staff wear safety equipment to handle behavioral crises.

"Every single staff member is trained in professional crisis management," said Elyse Murrin, clinical operations director. Training costs for instructors can run up to $2,000 per person. . . ..

But for some learners, Firefly represents the only place they can safely learn.

Asked what would happen if districts couldn't afford to pay for placements, Kelly and Murrin struggled to answer.

"If we can't pay staff, we can't be here," Kelly said simply.

Her concern is not hypothetical. In 2004, Colorado had 80 facility-schools. By 2023, there were just 30, according to Chalkbeat.. . .

A statewide crisis

Jefferson County is not alone. Statewide, the number of students served by facility schools decreased 40% between 2017 and 2022, from 1,266 students to just 769, according to a 2023 Chalkbeat analysis.

The decline was attributed to capacity constraints and staffing shortages rather than reduced demand.

Colorado facility schools receive only $55.05 per student per day in direct state funding, an amount that has barely increased in eight years, according to the analysis. Districts pay additional tuition ranging from $75 to $348 per day.

The $14 million special education overspend represents roughly one-third of Jefferson County's projected $39 million shortfall, meaning cuts must come from other programs and positions.

The board will study the budget reduction plan monthly through November, with staff notifications beginning in December and a final budget vote scheduled for June 2026. By then, the district will know whether voters approved the mill levy override that could provide $64 million in new annual revenue.